Follow-up to Q547: Earlier in the year a reader asked, “Is there
a place I could go where I could look up all the past questions
and answers published in your FAQ column?”
I answered this at the time by mentioning the new AMA/
Model Aviation archives that will now be known as the Model
Aviation Library. The system has been in development for
many months. As I write this, it is running on a trial basis.
This new system will contain scanned copies of the pages
of every Model Aviation issue published from its start in July
1975 to the present. The system will allow you to search for
specifi c issues, articles, columns, and even aircraft by name. I
had indicated in my April column (Q547) that as soon as the
system was fully online, I would explain how you could search
for the various “Frequently Asked Questions” columns that I
have written throughout the past eight years.
I contacted one of the individuals involved in the
development and operation of the new Model Aviation Library,
Chad Budreau, who is AMA’s multimedia editor. This is what
Chad had to say to me:
“Bob, the Library will be up and running in the fall of
2012. At that time the system will only be available to AMA
members and will require the use of a user ID name, as well
as a password. This will enable AMA members to search every
published issue of Model Aviation and will give them the
ability to make copies of any article for their own use.”
Chad went on to say that by the time you read this column
in the December issue of Model Aviation, the system will be
fully operational. To search for my columns, reviews, model
designs, and features, type “Bob Aberle” into the search box.
Place my name in quotes to improve the search results.
Without quotes, the Library will fi nd all articles with the name
Bob and/or Aberle. By placing “Bob Aberle” in quotes, it will
only fi nd results with my full name.
Members can also type “Frequently Asked Questions” into
the search box to view my columns. Readers can fi ne-tune
the search by adding text. If a reader types “Frequently Asked
Questions CA Cement” into the search box, the results should
show “Frequently Asked Questions” columns about CA
cement.
There will be a learning curve, but Chad is available to help
if you need it. He would also like to hear from readers who
have good results with this new system.
Q562: I remember a few years back you mentioned the
accomplishments of retired MA Editor Bob Hunt, fl ying
Model Aviation Library, electric CL,
decals, soldering station, and cements
This shows members how they can access various FAQ subjects that
have been published in this column during the past few years.
electric-powered CL models in competition. Is Bob still
pursuing electric power? Is he still competing? Bob had
indicated that he was going to manufacture and market
accessory items for electric fl ight. Does he now have any
products to offer?
A562: This question provides me the opportunity of bringing
you up to date on what AMA Hall of Fame member and
International CL Stunt champion, Bob Hunt, has been doing.
Bob competed in the 2012 AMA Nats in Muncie, Indiana. He
is still actively competing, and using electric power exclusively.
Bob is presently fl ying his own design, called the Crossfi reExtreme. This airplane has 650 square
inches of wing area, weighs 62 ounces,
and is powered by an E-fl ite Power 25
brushless motor and a four-cell 4000
mAh LiPo battery pack.
Bob got into a fi ve-way fl yoff at this
year’s Nats. Interestingly, another of the
fi ve fi nalists, Paul Walker, was also using
electric power. Bob placed third overall.
His fi nal fl yoff fl ight was recorded on a
wonderful YouTube video, which I have
identifi ed in the “Sources” section. I urge
you to look at that amazing video.
Bob is now beginning to produce a
line of electric power accessory items.
His fi rst is a CNC-machined front
motor mount plate. It is machined from
.093-inch-thick G-10 material, which is
an extremely tough and crush-resistant
epoxy/fi berglass laminate. This plate can
accept electric motors from the E-fl ite
Power 15 up to the Power 32. More
products will be added in time.
Bob also offers most of the
construction material necessary to
build your own Crossfi re Extreme. This
includes all the specially cut foam cores
for the wing and stabilizer. You can
fi nd the details for all of this at Robin’s
View Productions; the address and
contact information are in the “Sources”
section.
Follow-up to Q550: Andy Reynolds
read my FAQ concerning the use of
black self-adhesive contact shelf paper
to make simulated windshields and
windows on our aircraft. I pointed out
where you could obtain this contact
paper.
Andy went a step further. He has
been designing his own decals on his
computer and then inkjet printing them
onto full sheets of self-adhesive label
paper that he obtains at Walmart or
Staples.
Andy prints on white label paper. His
computer printer supplies the necessary
colors.
Andy allowed me to supply his email
address if you need help making your
fi rst decals.
There are many applications for this
kind of homemade decal. You could
make simulated windows and affi x them
to your airplane.
Various insignias for Scale models
should prove easy, but be careful on
license numbers. They need to be cut
out and then placed on the model. That
could prove time consuming, but the
process is worth trying.
Q563: Since reading in your column
about lead-free solder, I have been on
the lookout for a soldering iron with
a variable temperature control that
won’t break my bankA563: I believe the fi rst ones I looked at
were nearly $200, which is expensive for
a soldering iron. I recently came upon
a Tower Hobbies product called the
TrakPower TK-950 Soldering Station. It
sells for $80. It has a maximum output
of 60 watts.
The temperature can be selected
continuously from 392° F to 896° F.
This is perfect for regular lead solder
as well as the new lead-free variety. A
support stand is provided for the iron.
The iron comes with a chisel point,
fi ne pencil tips, and a cleaning sponge. At
this price it is a good deal!
Follow-up to Q552: In my
August 2012 “Frequently Asked
Questions” column, one subject
concerned how to thin thickened
CA cement with acetone, along
with using acetone to keep the
tips clear (unclogged). I was
surprised how many comments I
received about this topic.
Several cement experts
responded saying that using
acetone to thin CA cement was
a no-no! Acetone is the solvent
you used to use when you
managed to glue yourself to your
workbench. Mixing it with CA
cement could possibly prevent
the CA from ever curing.
Using acetone to keep the CA bottle
tips clean is okay, provided that you
thoroughly dry the tip before using.
Blowing the tip out with an air gun or
air can is a good idea.
One reader suggestion was to thin CA
cement that had gotten thick by simply
using thin CA. I haven’t tried this, but
I suspect it can’t do any harm. But the
bottom line here is to use some common
sense. If you are building a model that
is worth hundreds of dollars, throw out
any CA that you feel has gone beyond
its shelf life. A new bottle of CA will
cost a lot less than that aircraft.
One interesting suggestion came infrom reader/member Dawson Gillaspy.
He is so sensitive to CA cement odors
that he can’t use it in his shop. As an
alternative, he uses a cement called
Super ’Phatic.
It is similar to thinned-down
carpenter’s glue. It comes with a metal
applicator tip that can be kept clean by
immersing the tip in water. I obtained
a bottle of this cement from Horizon
Hobby. A 50 milliliter bottle costs
approximately $9. I’ve listed the website
in the “Sources” section.
Besides being odorless, this cement
has two interesting properties. It takes
roughly 30 minutes to cure and it sands
easily. I found it especially helpful when
applying doublers to a fuselage side. The
set-up time with Super ’Phatic allows
you to easily move the doubler into the
exact position before the cement cures.
This is one application I’m defi nitely
saving this cement for. When cured, this
cement has a slight orange tint to it,
similar to Ambroid cement. It’s worth a
try.
Hardened CA cement can be diffi cult
to properly sand. I found that when
applying my top and bottom fuselage
sheeting to the sides, the medium or
thin CA doesn’t penetrate well because
it cures so fast. After that, sanding
becomes nearly impossible.
I fi nally asked an expert for help.
Charlee Smith of Bob Smith Industries
suggested using Insta-Flex, a fl exible,
thin, low-odor CA cement, and to
kick off the application with Insta-Set
accelerator.
I tried this and found it excellent
for this kind of application. The CA
penetrates quickly and deeply. When
hitting it with the accelerator, nothing
bubbles out on the surface. After curing,
it is easy to trim the sheeting with a knife
followed by sanding. I hate to sound
commercial, but you should try this.
Bob Smith Industries has an
interesting fact sheet titled, “Using
Cyanoacrylate and Epoxy Adhesives.”
It describes approximately a dozen
different cements offered for various
hobby applications. You can obtain
a copy of this booklet from the BSI
website, which I have listed in the
“Sources” section.
SOURCES:
Model Aviation Library
https://library.modelaviation.com
Bob Hunt YouTube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=960MhZOuZMM
Robin’s View Productions
(610) 746-0106
[email protected]
Walmart
www.walmart.com
Staples
www.staples.com
Andy Reynolds
[email protected]
Tower Hobbies
(800) 637-6050
www.towerhobbies.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Bob Smith Industries
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/12
Page Numbers: 63,64,65,66
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/12
Page Numbers: 63,64,65,66
Follow-up to Q547: Earlier in the year a reader asked, “Is there
a place I could go where I could look up all the past questions
and answers published in your FAQ column?”
I answered this at the time by mentioning the new AMA/
Model Aviation archives that will now be known as the Model
Aviation Library. The system has been in development for
many months. As I write this, it is running on a trial basis.
This new system will contain scanned copies of the pages
of every Model Aviation issue published from its start in July
1975 to the present. The system will allow you to search for
specifi c issues, articles, columns, and even aircraft by name. I
had indicated in my April column (Q547) that as soon as the
system was fully online, I would explain how you could search
for the various “Frequently Asked Questions” columns that I
have written throughout the past eight years.
I contacted one of the individuals involved in the
development and operation of the new Model Aviation Library,
Chad Budreau, who is AMA’s multimedia editor. This is what
Chad had to say to me:
“Bob, the Library will be up and running in the fall of
2012. At that time the system will only be available to AMA
members and will require the use of a user ID name, as well
as a password. This will enable AMA members to search every
published issue of Model Aviation and will give them the
ability to make copies of any article for their own use.”
Chad went on to say that by the time you read this column
in the December issue of Model Aviation, the system will be
fully operational. To search for my columns, reviews, model
designs, and features, type “Bob Aberle” into the search box.
Place my name in quotes to improve the search results.
Without quotes, the Library will fi nd all articles with the name
Bob and/or Aberle. By placing “Bob Aberle” in quotes, it will
only fi nd results with my full name.
Members can also type “Frequently Asked Questions” into
the search box to view my columns. Readers can fi ne-tune
the search by adding text. If a reader types “Frequently Asked
Questions CA Cement” into the search box, the results should
show “Frequently Asked Questions” columns about CA
cement.
There will be a learning curve, but Chad is available to help
if you need it. He would also like to hear from readers who
have good results with this new system.
Q562: I remember a few years back you mentioned the
accomplishments of retired MA Editor Bob Hunt, fl ying
Model Aviation Library, electric CL,
decals, soldering station, and cements
This shows members how they can access various FAQ subjects that
have been published in this column during the past few years.
electric-powered CL models in competition. Is Bob still
pursuing electric power? Is he still competing? Bob had
indicated that he was going to manufacture and market
accessory items for electric fl ight. Does he now have any
products to offer?
A562: This question provides me the opportunity of bringing
you up to date on what AMA Hall of Fame member and
International CL Stunt champion, Bob Hunt, has been doing.
Bob competed in the 2012 AMA Nats in Muncie, Indiana. He
is still actively competing, and using electric power exclusively.
Bob is presently fl ying his own design, called the Crossfi reExtreme. This airplane has 650 square
inches of wing area, weighs 62 ounces,
and is powered by an E-fl ite Power 25
brushless motor and a four-cell 4000
mAh LiPo battery pack.
Bob got into a fi ve-way fl yoff at this
year’s Nats. Interestingly, another of the
fi ve fi nalists, Paul Walker, was also using
electric power. Bob placed third overall.
His fi nal fl yoff fl ight was recorded on a
wonderful YouTube video, which I have
identifi ed in the “Sources” section. I urge
you to look at that amazing video.
Bob is now beginning to produce a
line of electric power accessory items.
His fi rst is a CNC-machined front
motor mount plate. It is machined from
.093-inch-thick G-10 material, which is
an extremely tough and crush-resistant
epoxy/fi berglass laminate. This plate can
accept electric motors from the E-fl ite
Power 15 up to the Power 32. More
products will be added in time.
Bob also offers most of the
construction material necessary to
build your own Crossfi re Extreme. This
includes all the specially cut foam cores
for the wing and stabilizer. You can
fi nd the details for all of this at Robin’s
View Productions; the address and
contact information are in the “Sources”
section.
Follow-up to Q550: Andy Reynolds
read my FAQ concerning the use of
black self-adhesive contact shelf paper
to make simulated windshields and
windows on our aircraft. I pointed out
where you could obtain this contact
paper.
Andy went a step further. He has
been designing his own decals on his
computer and then inkjet printing them
onto full sheets of self-adhesive label
paper that he obtains at Walmart or
Staples.
Andy prints on white label paper. His
computer printer supplies the necessary
colors.
Andy allowed me to supply his email
address if you need help making your
fi rst decals.
There are many applications for this
kind of homemade decal. You could
make simulated windows and affi x them
to your airplane.
Various insignias for Scale models
should prove easy, but be careful on
license numbers. They need to be cut
out and then placed on the model. That
could prove time consuming, but the
process is worth trying.
Q563: Since reading in your column
about lead-free solder, I have been on
the lookout for a soldering iron with
a variable temperature control that
won’t break my bankA563: I believe the fi rst ones I looked at
were nearly $200, which is expensive for
a soldering iron. I recently came upon
a Tower Hobbies product called the
TrakPower TK-950 Soldering Station. It
sells for $80. It has a maximum output
of 60 watts.
The temperature can be selected
continuously from 392° F to 896° F.
This is perfect for regular lead solder
as well as the new lead-free variety. A
support stand is provided for the iron.
The iron comes with a chisel point,
fi ne pencil tips, and a cleaning sponge. At
this price it is a good deal!
Follow-up to Q552: In my
August 2012 “Frequently Asked
Questions” column, one subject
concerned how to thin thickened
CA cement with acetone, along
with using acetone to keep the
tips clear (unclogged). I was
surprised how many comments I
received about this topic.
Several cement experts
responded saying that using
acetone to thin CA cement was
a no-no! Acetone is the solvent
you used to use when you
managed to glue yourself to your
workbench. Mixing it with CA
cement could possibly prevent
the CA from ever curing.
Using acetone to keep the CA bottle
tips clean is okay, provided that you
thoroughly dry the tip before using.
Blowing the tip out with an air gun or
air can is a good idea.
One reader suggestion was to thin CA
cement that had gotten thick by simply
using thin CA. I haven’t tried this, but
I suspect it can’t do any harm. But the
bottom line here is to use some common
sense. If you are building a model that
is worth hundreds of dollars, throw out
any CA that you feel has gone beyond
its shelf life. A new bottle of CA will
cost a lot less than that aircraft.
One interesting suggestion came infrom reader/member Dawson Gillaspy.
He is so sensitive to CA cement odors
that he can’t use it in his shop. As an
alternative, he uses a cement called
Super ’Phatic.
It is similar to thinned-down
carpenter’s glue. It comes with a metal
applicator tip that can be kept clean by
immersing the tip in water. I obtained
a bottle of this cement from Horizon
Hobby. A 50 milliliter bottle costs
approximately $9. I’ve listed the website
in the “Sources” section.
Besides being odorless, this cement
has two interesting properties. It takes
roughly 30 minutes to cure and it sands
easily. I found it especially helpful when
applying doublers to a fuselage side. The
set-up time with Super ’Phatic allows
you to easily move the doubler into the
exact position before the cement cures.
This is one application I’m defi nitely
saving this cement for. When cured, this
cement has a slight orange tint to it,
similar to Ambroid cement. It’s worth a
try.
Hardened CA cement can be diffi cult
to properly sand. I found that when
applying my top and bottom fuselage
sheeting to the sides, the medium or
thin CA doesn’t penetrate well because
it cures so fast. After that, sanding
becomes nearly impossible.
I fi nally asked an expert for help.
Charlee Smith of Bob Smith Industries
suggested using Insta-Flex, a fl exible,
thin, low-odor CA cement, and to
kick off the application with Insta-Set
accelerator.
I tried this and found it excellent
for this kind of application. The CA
penetrates quickly and deeply. When
hitting it with the accelerator, nothing
bubbles out on the surface. After curing,
it is easy to trim the sheeting with a knife
followed by sanding. I hate to sound
commercial, but you should try this.
Bob Smith Industries has an
interesting fact sheet titled, “Using
Cyanoacrylate and Epoxy Adhesives.”
It describes approximately a dozen
different cements offered for various
hobby applications. You can obtain
a copy of this booklet from the BSI
website, which I have listed in the
“Sources” section.
SOURCES:
Model Aviation Library
https://library.modelaviation.com
Bob Hunt YouTube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=960MhZOuZMM
Robin’s View Productions
(610) 746-0106
[email protected]
Walmart
www.walmart.com
Staples
www.staples.com
Andy Reynolds
[email protected]
Tower Hobbies
(800) 637-6050
www.towerhobbies.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Bob Smith Industries
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/12
Page Numbers: 63,64,65,66
Follow-up to Q547: Earlier in the year a reader asked, “Is there
a place I could go where I could look up all the past questions
and answers published in your FAQ column?”
I answered this at the time by mentioning the new AMA/
Model Aviation archives that will now be known as the Model
Aviation Library. The system has been in development for
many months. As I write this, it is running on a trial basis.
This new system will contain scanned copies of the pages
of every Model Aviation issue published from its start in July
1975 to the present. The system will allow you to search for
specifi c issues, articles, columns, and even aircraft by name. I
had indicated in my April column (Q547) that as soon as the
system was fully online, I would explain how you could search
for the various “Frequently Asked Questions” columns that I
have written throughout the past eight years.
I contacted one of the individuals involved in the
development and operation of the new Model Aviation Library,
Chad Budreau, who is AMA’s multimedia editor. This is what
Chad had to say to me:
“Bob, the Library will be up and running in the fall of
2012. At that time the system will only be available to AMA
members and will require the use of a user ID name, as well
as a password. This will enable AMA members to search every
published issue of Model Aviation and will give them the
ability to make copies of any article for their own use.”
Chad went on to say that by the time you read this column
in the December issue of Model Aviation, the system will be
fully operational. To search for my columns, reviews, model
designs, and features, type “Bob Aberle” into the search box.
Place my name in quotes to improve the search results.
Without quotes, the Library will fi nd all articles with the name
Bob and/or Aberle. By placing “Bob Aberle” in quotes, it will
only fi nd results with my full name.
Members can also type “Frequently Asked Questions” into
the search box to view my columns. Readers can fi ne-tune
the search by adding text. If a reader types “Frequently Asked
Questions CA Cement” into the search box, the results should
show “Frequently Asked Questions” columns about CA
cement.
There will be a learning curve, but Chad is available to help
if you need it. He would also like to hear from readers who
have good results with this new system.
Q562: I remember a few years back you mentioned the
accomplishments of retired MA Editor Bob Hunt, fl ying
Model Aviation Library, electric CL,
decals, soldering station, and cements
This shows members how they can access various FAQ subjects that
have been published in this column during the past few years.
electric-powered CL models in competition. Is Bob still
pursuing electric power? Is he still competing? Bob had
indicated that he was going to manufacture and market
accessory items for electric fl ight. Does he now have any
products to offer?
A562: This question provides me the opportunity of bringing
you up to date on what AMA Hall of Fame member and
International CL Stunt champion, Bob Hunt, has been doing.
Bob competed in the 2012 AMA Nats in Muncie, Indiana. He
is still actively competing, and using electric power exclusively.
Bob is presently fl ying his own design, called the Crossfi reExtreme. This airplane has 650 square
inches of wing area, weighs 62 ounces,
and is powered by an E-fl ite Power 25
brushless motor and a four-cell 4000
mAh LiPo battery pack.
Bob got into a fi ve-way fl yoff at this
year’s Nats. Interestingly, another of the
fi ve fi nalists, Paul Walker, was also using
electric power. Bob placed third overall.
His fi nal fl yoff fl ight was recorded on a
wonderful YouTube video, which I have
identifi ed in the “Sources” section. I urge
you to look at that amazing video.
Bob is now beginning to produce a
line of electric power accessory items.
His fi rst is a CNC-machined front
motor mount plate. It is machined from
.093-inch-thick G-10 material, which is
an extremely tough and crush-resistant
epoxy/fi berglass laminate. This plate can
accept electric motors from the E-fl ite
Power 15 up to the Power 32. More
products will be added in time.
Bob also offers most of the
construction material necessary to
build your own Crossfi re Extreme. This
includes all the specially cut foam cores
for the wing and stabilizer. You can
fi nd the details for all of this at Robin’s
View Productions; the address and
contact information are in the “Sources”
section.
Follow-up to Q550: Andy Reynolds
read my FAQ concerning the use of
black self-adhesive contact shelf paper
to make simulated windshields and
windows on our aircraft. I pointed out
where you could obtain this contact
paper.
Andy went a step further. He has
been designing his own decals on his
computer and then inkjet printing them
onto full sheets of self-adhesive label
paper that he obtains at Walmart or
Staples.
Andy prints on white label paper. His
computer printer supplies the necessary
colors.
Andy allowed me to supply his email
address if you need help making your
fi rst decals.
There are many applications for this
kind of homemade decal. You could
make simulated windows and affi x them
to your airplane.
Various insignias for Scale models
should prove easy, but be careful on
license numbers. They need to be cut
out and then placed on the model. That
could prove time consuming, but the
process is worth trying.
Q563: Since reading in your column
about lead-free solder, I have been on
the lookout for a soldering iron with
a variable temperature control that
won’t break my bankA563: I believe the fi rst ones I looked at
were nearly $200, which is expensive for
a soldering iron. I recently came upon
a Tower Hobbies product called the
TrakPower TK-950 Soldering Station. It
sells for $80. It has a maximum output
of 60 watts.
The temperature can be selected
continuously from 392° F to 896° F.
This is perfect for regular lead solder
as well as the new lead-free variety. A
support stand is provided for the iron.
The iron comes with a chisel point,
fi ne pencil tips, and a cleaning sponge. At
this price it is a good deal!
Follow-up to Q552: In my
August 2012 “Frequently Asked
Questions” column, one subject
concerned how to thin thickened
CA cement with acetone, along
with using acetone to keep the
tips clear (unclogged). I was
surprised how many comments I
received about this topic.
Several cement experts
responded saying that using
acetone to thin CA cement was
a no-no! Acetone is the solvent
you used to use when you
managed to glue yourself to your
workbench. Mixing it with CA
cement could possibly prevent
the CA from ever curing.
Using acetone to keep the CA bottle
tips clean is okay, provided that you
thoroughly dry the tip before using.
Blowing the tip out with an air gun or
air can is a good idea.
One reader suggestion was to thin CA
cement that had gotten thick by simply
using thin CA. I haven’t tried this, but
I suspect it can’t do any harm. But the
bottom line here is to use some common
sense. If you are building a model that
is worth hundreds of dollars, throw out
any CA that you feel has gone beyond
its shelf life. A new bottle of CA will
cost a lot less than that aircraft.
One interesting suggestion came infrom reader/member Dawson Gillaspy.
He is so sensitive to CA cement odors
that he can’t use it in his shop. As an
alternative, he uses a cement called
Super ’Phatic.
It is similar to thinned-down
carpenter’s glue. It comes with a metal
applicator tip that can be kept clean by
immersing the tip in water. I obtained
a bottle of this cement from Horizon
Hobby. A 50 milliliter bottle costs
approximately $9. I’ve listed the website
in the “Sources” section.
Besides being odorless, this cement
has two interesting properties. It takes
roughly 30 minutes to cure and it sands
easily. I found it especially helpful when
applying doublers to a fuselage side. The
set-up time with Super ’Phatic allows
you to easily move the doubler into the
exact position before the cement cures.
This is one application I’m defi nitely
saving this cement for. When cured, this
cement has a slight orange tint to it,
similar to Ambroid cement. It’s worth a
try.
Hardened CA cement can be diffi cult
to properly sand. I found that when
applying my top and bottom fuselage
sheeting to the sides, the medium or
thin CA doesn’t penetrate well because
it cures so fast. After that, sanding
becomes nearly impossible.
I fi nally asked an expert for help.
Charlee Smith of Bob Smith Industries
suggested using Insta-Flex, a fl exible,
thin, low-odor CA cement, and to
kick off the application with Insta-Set
accelerator.
I tried this and found it excellent
for this kind of application. The CA
penetrates quickly and deeply. When
hitting it with the accelerator, nothing
bubbles out on the surface. After curing,
it is easy to trim the sheeting with a knife
followed by sanding. I hate to sound
commercial, but you should try this.
Bob Smith Industries has an
interesting fact sheet titled, “Using
Cyanoacrylate and Epoxy Adhesives.”
It describes approximately a dozen
different cements offered for various
hobby applications. You can obtain
a copy of this booklet from the BSI
website, which I have listed in the
“Sources” section.
SOURCES:
Model Aviation Library
https://library.modelaviation.com
Bob Hunt YouTube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=960MhZOuZMM
Robin’s View Productions
(610) 746-0106
[email protected]
Walmart
www.walmart.com
Staples
www.staples.com
Andy Reynolds
[email protected]
Tower Hobbies
(800) 637-6050
www.towerhobbies.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Bob Smith Industries
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/12
Page Numbers: 63,64,65,66
Follow-up to Q547: Earlier in the year a reader asked, “Is there
a place I could go where I could look up all the past questions
and answers published in your FAQ column?”
I answered this at the time by mentioning the new AMA/
Model Aviation archives that will now be known as the Model
Aviation Library. The system has been in development for
many months. As I write this, it is running on a trial basis.
This new system will contain scanned copies of the pages
of every Model Aviation issue published from its start in July
1975 to the present. The system will allow you to search for
specifi c issues, articles, columns, and even aircraft by name. I
had indicated in my April column (Q547) that as soon as the
system was fully online, I would explain how you could search
for the various “Frequently Asked Questions” columns that I
have written throughout the past eight years.
I contacted one of the individuals involved in the
development and operation of the new Model Aviation Library,
Chad Budreau, who is AMA’s multimedia editor. This is what
Chad had to say to me:
“Bob, the Library will be up and running in the fall of
2012. At that time the system will only be available to AMA
members and will require the use of a user ID name, as well
as a password. This will enable AMA members to search every
published issue of Model Aviation and will give them the
ability to make copies of any article for their own use.”
Chad went on to say that by the time you read this column
in the December issue of Model Aviation, the system will be
fully operational. To search for my columns, reviews, model
designs, and features, type “Bob Aberle” into the search box.
Place my name in quotes to improve the search results.
Without quotes, the Library will fi nd all articles with the name
Bob and/or Aberle. By placing “Bob Aberle” in quotes, it will
only fi nd results with my full name.
Members can also type “Frequently Asked Questions” into
the search box to view my columns. Readers can fi ne-tune
the search by adding text. If a reader types “Frequently Asked
Questions CA Cement” into the search box, the results should
show “Frequently Asked Questions” columns about CA
cement.
There will be a learning curve, but Chad is available to help
if you need it. He would also like to hear from readers who
have good results with this new system.
Q562: I remember a few years back you mentioned the
accomplishments of retired MA Editor Bob Hunt, fl ying
Model Aviation Library, electric CL,
decals, soldering station, and cements
This shows members how they can access various FAQ subjects that
have been published in this column during the past few years.
electric-powered CL models in competition. Is Bob still
pursuing electric power? Is he still competing? Bob had
indicated that he was going to manufacture and market
accessory items for electric fl ight. Does he now have any
products to offer?
A562: This question provides me the opportunity of bringing
you up to date on what AMA Hall of Fame member and
International CL Stunt champion, Bob Hunt, has been doing.
Bob competed in the 2012 AMA Nats in Muncie, Indiana. He
is still actively competing, and using electric power exclusively.
Bob is presently fl ying his own design, called the Crossfi reExtreme. This airplane has 650 square
inches of wing area, weighs 62 ounces,
and is powered by an E-fl ite Power 25
brushless motor and a four-cell 4000
mAh LiPo battery pack.
Bob got into a fi ve-way fl yoff at this
year’s Nats. Interestingly, another of the
fi ve fi nalists, Paul Walker, was also using
electric power. Bob placed third overall.
His fi nal fl yoff fl ight was recorded on a
wonderful YouTube video, which I have
identifi ed in the “Sources” section. I urge
you to look at that amazing video.
Bob is now beginning to produce a
line of electric power accessory items.
His fi rst is a CNC-machined front
motor mount plate. It is machined from
.093-inch-thick G-10 material, which is
an extremely tough and crush-resistant
epoxy/fi berglass laminate. This plate can
accept electric motors from the E-fl ite
Power 15 up to the Power 32. More
products will be added in time.
Bob also offers most of the
construction material necessary to
build your own Crossfi re Extreme. This
includes all the specially cut foam cores
for the wing and stabilizer. You can
fi nd the details for all of this at Robin’s
View Productions; the address and
contact information are in the “Sources”
section.
Follow-up to Q550: Andy Reynolds
read my FAQ concerning the use of
black self-adhesive contact shelf paper
to make simulated windshields and
windows on our aircraft. I pointed out
where you could obtain this contact
paper.
Andy went a step further. He has
been designing his own decals on his
computer and then inkjet printing them
onto full sheets of self-adhesive label
paper that he obtains at Walmart or
Staples.
Andy prints on white label paper. His
computer printer supplies the necessary
colors.
Andy allowed me to supply his email
address if you need help making your
fi rst decals.
There are many applications for this
kind of homemade decal. You could
make simulated windows and affi x them
to your airplane.
Various insignias for Scale models
should prove easy, but be careful on
license numbers. They need to be cut
out and then placed on the model. That
could prove time consuming, but the
process is worth trying.
Q563: Since reading in your column
about lead-free solder, I have been on
the lookout for a soldering iron with
a variable temperature control that
won’t break my bankA563: I believe the fi rst ones I looked at
were nearly $200, which is expensive for
a soldering iron. I recently came upon
a Tower Hobbies product called the
TrakPower TK-950 Soldering Station. It
sells for $80. It has a maximum output
of 60 watts.
The temperature can be selected
continuously from 392° F to 896° F.
This is perfect for regular lead solder
as well as the new lead-free variety. A
support stand is provided for the iron.
The iron comes with a chisel point,
fi ne pencil tips, and a cleaning sponge. At
this price it is a good deal!
Follow-up to Q552: In my
August 2012 “Frequently Asked
Questions” column, one subject
concerned how to thin thickened
CA cement with acetone, along
with using acetone to keep the
tips clear (unclogged). I was
surprised how many comments I
received about this topic.
Several cement experts
responded saying that using
acetone to thin CA cement was
a no-no! Acetone is the solvent
you used to use when you
managed to glue yourself to your
workbench. Mixing it with CA
cement could possibly prevent
the CA from ever curing.
Using acetone to keep the CA bottle
tips clean is okay, provided that you
thoroughly dry the tip before using.
Blowing the tip out with an air gun or
air can is a good idea.
One reader suggestion was to thin CA
cement that had gotten thick by simply
using thin CA. I haven’t tried this, but
I suspect it can’t do any harm. But the
bottom line here is to use some common
sense. If you are building a model that
is worth hundreds of dollars, throw out
any CA that you feel has gone beyond
its shelf life. A new bottle of CA will
cost a lot less than that aircraft.
One interesting suggestion came infrom reader/member Dawson Gillaspy.
He is so sensitive to CA cement odors
that he can’t use it in his shop. As an
alternative, he uses a cement called
Super ’Phatic.
It is similar to thinned-down
carpenter’s glue. It comes with a metal
applicator tip that can be kept clean by
immersing the tip in water. I obtained
a bottle of this cement from Horizon
Hobby. A 50 milliliter bottle costs
approximately $9. I’ve listed the website
in the “Sources” section.
Besides being odorless, this cement
has two interesting properties. It takes
roughly 30 minutes to cure and it sands
easily. I found it especially helpful when
applying doublers to a fuselage side. The
set-up time with Super ’Phatic allows
you to easily move the doubler into the
exact position before the cement cures.
This is one application I’m defi nitely
saving this cement for. When cured, this
cement has a slight orange tint to it,
similar to Ambroid cement. It’s worth a
try.
Hardened CA cement can be diffi cult
to properly sand. I found that when
applying my top and bottom fuselage
sheeting to the sides, the medium or
thin CA doesn’t penetrate well because
it cures so fast. After that, sanding
becomes nearly impossible.
I fi nally asked an expert for help.
Charlee Smith of Bob Smith Industries
suggested using Insta-Flex, a fl exible,
thin, low-odor CA cement, and to
kick off the application with Insta-Set
accelerator.
I tried this and found it excellent
for this kind of application. The CA
penetrates quickly and deeply. When
hitting it with the accelerator, nothing
bubbles out on the surface. After curing,
it is easy to trim the sheeting with a knife
followed by sanding. I hate to sound
commercial, but you should try this.
Bob Smith Industries has an
interesting fact sheet titled, “Using
Cyanoacrylate and Epoxy Adhesives.”
It describes approximately a dozen
different cements offered for various
hobby applications. You can obtain
a copy of this booklet from the BSI
website, which I have listed in the
“Sources” section.
SOURCES:
Model Aviation Library
https://library.modelaviation.com
Bob Hunt YouTube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=960MhZOuZMM
Robin’s View Productions
(610) 746-0106
[email protected]
Walmart
www.walmart.com
Staples
www.staples.com
Andy Reynolds
[email protected]
Tower Hobbies
(800) 637-6050
www.towerhobbies.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Bob Smith Industries
